Auto direction-signal



H. W. $HELLY.

AUTO DIRECTION SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED 001x10. 1917.

1,33%,U33 Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

26 MWJ WITNESS:

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To (til whom it may concern;

lie it known that l, HARRY W. Strainer, a citizen of the United tltates,residing at ltansas tity, in the county of Jackson and State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutoDirection-tlignals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signaling devices for automobiles, and my objectis to provide a new, and useful device of this char-- acter for thepurpose of avoiding collisions by indicating to drivers of approachingor following automobiles, the direction of travel, that is whether theautomobile equipped with my device will continue straight ahead, or turnto the right or left on reaching a corner.

in order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will nowbe made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a broken, plan view of an automobile equipped with theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation, partly in section of the device removed fromthe automobile.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional view of a spindle forcarrying the indicator of the device.

lFig. -1- is a broken elevation of two shafts and a slip-coupling forconnecting said shafts.

Fig. is a diagram of an electric light circuit.

(5 is a plan view of a modified form of certain parts of the device.

Referring now in detail to the various parts, A designates theautomobile which is equipped with the usual wind-shield B and steeringwheel C.

1 designates a tubular housing rotatably and slidably mounted in a"if-bearing 3, proyided with a set screw 4t, for securing the housing atany point of its adjustment. Elaid housing 1. is, preferably ofsubstantially rightangnlar form, so that one end may project laterallyfrom the automobile, while its opposite end extends rearwardly to apoint adjacent the steering wheel C. lhe libearing 3 is provided with abracket 5 having a fixed jaw 6 and a movable jaw 7 whereby it may befirmly clamped upon one of the standards D of the Wind-shield B. A. bolt9 passing through the jaws serves 1: clamp them upon the standard D.

tlpceiitcaticn of Letters Patent.

Patented llfart tltlt W dth.

serial inane.

this end of the housing it is threadedinto or otherwiseremovably-secureu to a gear case 11, containing two intermeshing bevelgears 12 and 13. The gear 12 is liitedlv mounted upon a short shaft 15journaled in the case 11 and provided at one end with a feather 16,adapted to enter slot it in a shp-coupling it), fixed to the forward endof a flexible shaft 20. Said flexible shaft eatends throughthe housing 1and is provided at its rear end. with a lever 2ft, adapt ed to be heldin either of its three positions by a sector 24 fined upon the rear endof the housing 1. 'llhe bevel gear 13 is fixed upon an upright spindle26, journaled in the lower portion of a tubular member dd provided atits lower terminal with a cap 30, threaded into the upper portion of thecase 11. Rain, snow, etc., is excluded from the interior of the member28, by an over lapping, circular an indicator St.

The indicator 31 is mounted upper end of the spindle 26 and secured bysuitable means, such as a set-screw 32. Elaid indicator 31 may be of anysuitable shape, but l prefer to malre it in the form of an arrow, sothat its front end can be readily distinguished from its rear end.- Thefront and rear portions of the indicator 3t have openings extendingtransversely therethrough to receive electric lamps 35 and 35,respectively, the light from which'is visible at both sides of theindicator. 'lthese lamps serve to distinguish night the front poi tionof the indicato from its rear portion and the front lamp equipped with ared globe and the rear lamp with a green globe.

fl he lamps 35 and 36 are connected to cir-- cult wlres 4-2 and l3,which may receive their current from any suitable source, such as thebattery with which most automobiles are now equipped. A circuit breakerl5 is em.- ployed to open or close the circuit through the lan1ps, andhas a controlling. button t? pro ecting through the rear portion of thetubular housing 1, within convenient reach of the driver.

A. coil spring 401 loosely embracing the spindle 26 and having one endsecured to the tubular member 28- and its opposite end secured to thespindle 26, tends to restore the indicator 31 to normal straight aheadposition after said indicator has been rotated apron 29, depending fromupon the is, preferably,

tit"

l till desired helght on the wind-shield B.

Whether the latter extends vertically or slants backwardly, isimmaterial, as the tubular housing 1 is adjusted in the bearin 3 to holdthe indicator 31 in a horizonta plane. The housing 1 is also adjustedlaterally in'the bearing 3 to hold the indicator 31 far enough from oneside of the car to' render said indicator visible to the driver of afollowing car. Should the driver of the equipped car decide to turn tothe right or left on reaching a corner, he manipulates the lever 22accordingly, which through the instrumentality of the shafting 20, thecoupling 19 and the shafting 1'5 and 26, swings the indicator 31 in" thedirection in which said lever 22 is turned. Swinging of the indicator 31to the right or left tensions the spring 40, so that the same will takeup lost motion in the shafting and the gear I wheels and secure saidindicator 31 from vi-- bration, This tensioning of the spring 40, alsocauses it to assist the driver in returning the indicator 31 to straightahead position after turning a corner.

On cars with closed bodies, such as electrically propelled cars, thebracket 5 may be dispensed with and the housing 1 can be madestraightinstead of rightangular and fastened in one side of the carbody. In this instance, the shaft 20 need not be flexible, but mayconsist of a straight piece.

In the modified form disclosed by Fig. 6, a simplified form of gearingfor rotating the indicator 31 is shown. As disclosed, the indicator 31is mounted upon a spindle 26*, provided with a sheave 13 adapted to berotated by an endless cable 20, which in turn is-actuated by a sheave 12manually con-.

trolled through the intermediacy of a lever 22. The housing and otherfeatures (not shown) may be substantially the same as in the preferredform. Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Ina device of the character described,

an indicator, rotary means for turning said.

indicator to the right and left, a support adapted to be secured to anautomobile, a housing inclosing the greater portion of the rotary meansand laterally and rotatably adjustable in said support, and meanscarried by the support for securing the housing at'any point'of itsadjustment.

2. In a device of the character described, an indicator, rotarymeans-for turning said indicator to the right and left, a housinginclosing the greater portion of said rotary means, a T-bearing in whichsaid housing is adj ustably-mounted, a bracket secured at one end insaid T-bearing and provided at its oppositeend with a jaw, a movable jawto coact wit-h the first jaw in securing the bracket to the wind shieldof an automobile, and means for firmly holding said jaws in engagementwith the wind shield.

3. In a device of the character described, an indioator,'a spindle uponwhich said indicator is mounted, a tubular member in which said spindleis j ournaled, a coil spring secured at one end to said tubular memberand at its opposite end to the spindle, a bevel gear wheel fixed to saidspindle, a second bevel gear wheel intermeshing with the first one toactuate the same, shafting including a flexible member for rotating thesecond bevel gear-wheel, and means for rotating said shafting.

In testimony whereof afiix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

HARRY W. SHELLY. Witnesses F. G. FISCHER, L. J. FISCHER.

